Maggie Tennesen
Convergence
R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
Thru August 30th, 2014
by Cathy Breslaw
When I look at Maggie Tennesen’s
acrylic paintings I am reminded of Native American blankets, rugs or
weavings. Her tightly painted grid-like
striped patterns form energy fields of color that vibrate across her canvases.
The process of creating these mostly large scale works involve painting
hundreds, maybe thousands of individual thin strips of multi-colored paint with
a straight edge, that often appear like strands of yarn. Tennesen also carves into
her paintings creating thin crevasses between lines and curious geometric lines
that often form shapes and patterns, lending a textural quality to the works. While standing at a distance, the viewer can
see overall geometric shapes that build compositional devices into the
otherwise obsessively controlled lines.
There is also a meditative and delicate quality to the works that are
further developed and enhanced by Tennesen’s choice and finely tuned use of
color palettes. Tennesen’s work is reminiscent
of color field painting as well as possessing a certain spiritual quality.
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| Eastern Sky 2014 acrylic on canvas 48" x 48" |
